Rescue Mission
by Dimrilla
Summary: Little Ben Skywalker goes missing. Mara needs help to find him. Since Luke and other masters are unawailable, Kyp Durron finds himself a second member of the search party.
1. Chapter 1

**RESCUE MISSION**

**(or: NEVER TRUST WOMEN WITH RED HAIR)**

This is the story I wrote for over a year ago (Actually I've started writing it almost exactly two years ahgo), and published it on the 's fan fiction forum (Jedi Council Forums) under the nickname masterjade.

Now I'm reposting it here, with some small changes and corrections.

I hope You'll anjoy it.

Disclaimer: Star Wars belongs to George Lucas. Mara Jade belongs to Timothy Zahn, and Kyp Durron to Kevin Anderson. I own nothing.

--

**Chapter 1**

Little Ben was missing.

Mara looked frantically around at the whirling crowd of children's heads, but couldn't spot the reddish-gold hair of her little son. Tentatively, she reached through the Force, trying to find his signature.  
Blank.

Oh, she could sense some lightly Force- sensitive presences, but in comparison to Ben's they were nothing. Ben's signature in the Force was like a small, burning and sparkling glowpoint. Impossible to miss out, if he was anywhere around.

And now it was missing.

Mara opened her eyes, and started towards a pretty large, furry being with many tentacles she used to hug kids or wipe their noses with, who appeared to be in charge for the children by now.

"Where is my son?!" Mara demanded, her voice husky with angst and anger.

Furry creature turned her attention from the little Togorian she was stroking, and looked at Mara, startled.

"Oh, good afternoon, Mrs. Skywalker! How can I help You?"

"I've come for my son. Where is he?! He's not here, I can't sense him!"

"He's not here? But...it's not 4 o'clock yet. He should be here" the being said, her voice a little bit surprised.

"Yes, he should, but he isn't! That's exactly my point" Mara's voice grew angrier "So I'm asking You where he is for Force's sake!" She had to fight the need to grab the furry being (Mara didn't even know what species it was, and she actually didn't care) by the shoulders and shake her heavily.

"Well... hmmm... " creature's voice became somewhat unsteady. Facing angry Mara Jade Skywalker was definitely not a reassuring experience. "I think... I guess..." She looked at the children , not finding Ben either. " I guess he must have disappeared... I mean, he must have left kindergarten earlier somehow...I mean...somewhere... when I ..eh.. somehow... " Now she was plainly scared and couldn't stand Mara's deadly glare.

Mara herself was right now questioning Jedi teachings about not giving oneself into anger. Just now she thought they weren't worth more than bantha poodoo, and she was sure that the Jedi of Old Order who invented them, truly must have lived a monks' life to avoid nasty feelings when something happened to their children.

For a while she pondered what Luke's reaction to the situation would be . He was nearly always so calm that it almost got on her nerves. But now even he would get anxious and angry at that incompetent woman, wouldn't he?

It was futile wondering about it, though. Luke wasn't at Coruscant. He has gone on some insignificant 'mission', leaving her alone with all this.  
_As if any rumors about potential Force-users somewhere in the Outer Rim could be more important than their son and his safety! But of course- Luke had to leave just now and check it personally! Can this blasted man never learn that he doesn't need to do everything himself?! _

Mara got angry with Luke for him not being there, almost as much as she was angry with the teacher from the kindergarten, yet she realized it wasn't Luke's fault at all. He couldn't have known that somebody would kidnap Ben from the full of children kindergarten's square in the middle of Coruscant centre.

Finally, she managed to suppress the negative emotions, for the time being at least, and decided to turn for help to someone from the Jedi Council.  
She was not an expert as far as sensing somebody's presence from a long distance was concerned. She needed to get in touch with a Jedi who was better at it.

With the last threatening look at the furry kindergarten supervisor, and murmuring under her breath something like:  
"I've always known one couldn't trust public kindergartens !", and " Leia is gonna pay me for this! Showing New Republic citizens how **egalitarian** we are! Ghrrr!! " She turned and left the kindergarten, heading for the newly rebuilt Jedi Temple.

xxx

Jedi Master Kyp Durron turned his datapad off as he finished sending requested data files to Master Solusar, and was getting ready to leave the Council Chamber, when he felt a tornado of emotions quickly closing up.

He didn't know what caused this outburst of anguish , but he did recognized who those emotions belonged to. He stood up preparing himself to meet the tornado eye to eye.

He had bad feelings about this...


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 **

The door to the Council Chamber opened with a violent crack - apparently the arriving guest was not in the mood to wait patiently for it to open by itself - and very unsettled Mara Jade Skywalker rushed in, her golden-red braid flowing behind her like a whip.

Her eyes quickly skimmed the almost empty room, resting on the only one person present.

"Durron " she spat.

"Master Jade Skywalker" Kyp bowed his head slightly. "What can I do for You?" he asked, dreading the answer ("Walk out of the window?" ,"Swallow a thermal detonator?", "Examine your guts with a lightsaber?" )

"Where is Corran Horn?" she demanded ignoring his politeness.

"No idea. Am I my fellow Master's guardian ?"

"No" Mara scowled at him "You're rather a pain in his ...ehh...neck. Where's Kent Hamner then?"

"On a mission to the Remnant. Last time I spoke to him, he was ready to leave Bilbringi"

"Shavit! What about Saba Sebatyne?"

"Somewhere in the Corporate Sector, why?"

"Cighal?"

"On Kashyyk. There's been an epidemy of bash-rash"

Mara looked sceptical: "I thought the Wookies didn't get bash-rash"

"Well, that was certainly a surprise to everyone. But the reason is simple:You can't see the rash because of the fur. Cilghal discovered it first when she shaved a sick Wookie."

"She did what?! And she's still alive?!"

"Well, maybe she didn't do it herself, and yes, she's alive. At least she was alive when I talked to her. " Kyp made a pause and frowned. " On conclusion, I must admit she didn't use the visual connection when she made contact, so I can't be sure what's her exact state. Maybe..."

"Never mind. I don't care !" Mara finally recovered from the shock of imagining a flock of bald Wookies chasing the little Mon Calamari healer, and grew impatient again. "So, is there any Jedi Master here at all ?"

"Yes. Even two"

"Great! Who?"

"Me"

"You don't count Durron!"

"How nice of You" Kyp muttered.

"And the other one?"

"You..."

"You kriffin' idiot ! Do You think I would come here to look for myself?!"

"The Temple **is** supposed to be a suitable place for soul search, so why not..." Hardly did he finish the sentence, when Mara's fist came searching contact with his nose. Kyp ducked, and tried to calm Mara a little. "Ok, ok, take it easy Master Jade, I was only joking."

Mara still looked anything but calm.  
"So You are telling me there's no Jedi Master here, except from You?!"

Kyp nodded in silence. Mara started pacing the room back and forth, cursing with feeling (and not only): "Sithspit! Sithspit! Sithspit!" Finally she stopped and glanced at Kyp, who was wiping his face.

"And what are you doing now?!"

"Cleaning myself from Your sith**spit**. You burst out cursing like a **geyser**, really" he explained.

"Would You please tell me what's up?"

Mara looked a bit ashamed for a heartbeat, then she snapped : "Ben has been kidnapped!"

"What?!"

"Yes, or at least he disappeared from that blasted kindergarten he was going to, so probably someone kidnapped him, but nobody knows who, or how, or why, at least not the teacher, who doesn't know anything at all, and Luke is away, and I can't sense Ben's presence, so I was looking for someone, a Jedi I mean, who could do it..."

Kyp listened to Mara's word-flood, shocked. It was probably the first time he has seen her in such state. But then - if his child would have been kidnapped (if he had one firsthand) he wouldn't be any better. Most likely even worse - going darkside and strangling every suspect with the Force or something along these lines. Not that Mara wasn't getting close to the darkside now - he could feel her fear and anger - being himself a victim of the Sith spitting technique aside...

He sighed inwardly. She needed help of a Jedi with ability to track down a person's force signature, and he knew he was one of the best, if not the best Jedi at it.  
But she couldn't stand him and vice versa. He had a feeling that volunteering to cooperate with Mara Jade would mean agreeing to go to the nine Corellian Hells on his own request. _What a merry perspective! _Yet he was a Jedi knight, and knights were supposed to help damsels in distress, weren't they? And Mara definitely **was** in distress .

He sighed again, this time aloud, and passed a sentence:  
"I'll help You."

Mara looked at him suspiciously.

"I'm good at sensing people through the Force" he added " Maybe I can help You."

"You'd better" she said threateningly "Or You can go straight to the nine Corellian Hells. Let's go back to the kindergarten then." With that she spun and left the Chamber .

After a moment Kyp followed her, still wondering in amazement at how his precognition abilities have improved lately: _Going to the nine Corellian Hells, indeed. Who would have thought that! _


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 **

The playground was quiet and empty by the time Mara and Kyp reached the kindergarten. Most of the children must have gone home already, and the rest was probably inside.

Actually, Mara believed it to be a good thing, as nobody could bother them while trying to feel traces of Ben in the Force.

"Go on Durron" she ordered. "This is the place. Track him down."

Kyp stood in the middle of the square, and tried to concentrate. It wasn't easy, because Mara was standing close by, watching him like a predator preparing to jump at her prey, and tapping one foot impatiently.

"Would You please stop glaring at me?" he asked eventually.

"I'm not glaring at You. I'm just making sure You're doing Your job."

"It's not helping me..."

"And You're not helping **me** when You quarrel with me instead of looking for Ben! Do You sense him?"

"No, but I told You You were distracting me..."

Mara pouted, but she moved away. She took place in the corner of the playground, and watched the black- haired master from there with even bigger intensity.

Kyp, muttering something about 'Grim Green Glare', reached for the Force and sent his senses outward, trying to find Ben Skywalker's force signature.

It was a difficult task as there were traces of other children's presences around, not to mention those of billions of people's on Coruscant, outside of the kindergarten, plus that it had been a couple of hours since Ben's disappearance.

But the main problem was the fact that every other trace in the Force was overwhelmed by a very strong sensation of anger and impatience, emanating from the corner of the square.

Kyp sighed and cautiously turned to Mara:  
"Could You dim Your presence in the Force for a while?"

"Why?" she growled.

"Your emotions are disturbing. There's no emotion, there's peace, remember?"

Mara's Grim Green Glare changed into Deadly Daggers of Doom, but she managed to get her feelings under control.

_After all she __**is**__ a Jedi Master _ Kyp thought with relief, and started searching again.

Ten more minutes passed, and Mara's patience with them.

"Have You found him yet?"

Kyp shook his head wearily:  
"No, I'm sorry. He's out of my reach. I can't sense much of him here either. I mean: no strong emotions like fear or anguish."

She looked at him with contempt:  
"I knew You were an useless crap Durron! I'm just wasting my time here with You!"

"Hey! Wait now Master Jade! Maybe it never occurred to You that it actually could be **Your** fault!"

"My fault?! What's my fault?!"

"Maybe I cannot sense Ben's presence because I don't know him well enough?! And why I don't know him well enough? - Because **You** forbade me even to come near him!"

"And I had good reasons!"

"Oh really?! And maybe good arguments too?! I remember, once, when You took him with You to the Council meeting, I heard You tell him not to come too close to me or he would get warts!"

"It was a metaphor."

"I'm sure Ben was aware of that fact too." he snapped sarcastically. "Honestly Jade, even Leia wasn't so prejudiced against me. And Han could tell you I'm pretty good with children. I used to spend a lot of time with Solo kids when they were small."

"And just look what's become of them!: Anakin died, Jacen left the Order and went Force knows where to look for Force knows what, and Jaina almost turned to the Dark Side - when she apprenticed herself to **You** no less! Not to mention that she turned down Jagged Fel's proposal when we all thought they were going to be together!"

"Maybe it's also my fault that the youngest daughter of Kirana Ti beats boys, since I babysat her once?! Come on Jade, even You cannot seriously blame me for Anakin's death and Jacen's craziness! And I actually helped Jaina to **re**turn from the Dark Side! And Fel... Fel can go to hell!" he spat. " Or even to the nine Corellian Hells, if You prefer. Same for me!"

For a couple of seconds they only glared at each other murderously and gasped.

"Now..." Kyp began, when he finally regained at least some of the calmness that a Jedi Master should possess .

"Now" Mara cut in, her voice surprisingly calm and controlled "we'll take a speeder and begin searching other places on Coruscant. We'll start from here and move in a spiral. I'll connect with You, so that You can get a better feeling of Ben."

Kyp made a face.

"Any objections?"

"I don't really wish for such intimacy with You..."

"Nor I with You, trust me" she growled. "Do You have a better idea?"

"I think we should talk to the teacher first..."

"Have You been deaf Durron?! I've talked to her! She doesn't know anything!"

"Let me finish! We should talk to the teacher first, and then to the other children. Maybe they have seen or heard something. And I suspect You haven't questioned the teacher properly either, because You were too nervous." (_An understatement, but it's safer not to irritate her further._)

She scowled at him, but didn't object.  
"Ok Durron," she said finally "this time we'll try out Your method, but if it doesn't work, we'll do it my way!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 **

When they entered the building a few children were playing on the floor, and the furry teacher with numerous tentacles was repairing a Lord Shimrra doll, which had been decapitated. She just managed to connect all the wires properly, and the doll's eyes began shining.  
Probably if the supreme overlord of the Yuuzhan Vong could have predicted that the infidels would be making **mechanical** dolls impersonating **him**, he would have gotten a heart attack long before the actual end of the war.

One of the kids noticed the two Jedi, and ran to the teacher shouting:  
''Mrs. Eezee, Mrs. Eezee, somebody has cooome!"

She put Lord Shimrra away and lifted her head.  
When she recognized Mara Jade Skywalker she stiffened, and her eyes widened in fear.

Kyp noticed this reaction, and whispered to Mara:  
''What have You done to her? She seems scared to death''.  
Simultaneously he sent her a reassuring nudge through the Force. After a moment she visibly relaxed.

''Nothing'' Mara replied ''I just talked to her''.

'' I can imagine this was enough'' he said, remembering all the conversations he had ever had with Mara Jade. He could count on fingers of the one hand those that hadn't consisted of shouting and insulting each other. About 50 involved threats towards him. And once it even came from throwing invectives to throwing objects. -

It was shortly after Ben had been born. Kyp dropped by to discuss organizing a Jedi base with Master Skywalker, as he promised Jaina he would.  
When he entered Skywalkers' apartment, Mara was about to change Ben's diaper. On seeing him she shouted, forbidding him to come closer (apparently for the fear of him infecting the baby with warts...), and attacked him with the used diaper. He intercepted the missile with the Force and threw it back... Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately...) he missed as well, because when the stinking bomb was just about to hit Mara square in the face, the door suddenly opened, letting Master Luke Skywalker in, and the load landed on his new Jedi robe...

Surprisingly enough it was Mara, who seemed more furious about the whole event than Luke, despite the fact that it was definitely not her who encountered a close contact of the third degree with a full diaper..._Maybe she sewed that blasted robe herself _ Kyp thought.

Having all that in mind, Kyp decided it would be better if he dealt with the nervous kindergarten teacher.

''I'll do the talking. It should give a better result'' he informed Mara and strode towards the furry creature.

''Good afternoon Mrs. Eezee. I'm Jedi Master Kyp Durron and I'd like to ask You a few questions about Ben Sky...''

Before he had a chance to finish, Mrs. Eezee stammered:  
''Kkkypp... Dd.. Durron?'' and fell to the ground.

''Well, that was indeed **some result**, Durron'' Mara drawled sarcastically. '' Apparently not everyone has forgotten about Carida, don't they?''

'' Look who's talking,'' Kyp scowled, simultaneously checking on the unconscious teacher ''a former Emperor's hand, a very noble person!''

'' At least I did my job quietly and didn't boast of it'' She looked him over '' In contrast to somebody else here, who not only blew up a couple of stars, but also shot recording capsules to tell the whole universe about his deeds!''

''I was young then...''

'' And stupid'' Mara finished for him. ''That last hasn't changed, by the way'' Kyp only scowled. '' Any ideas as to what we should do now, when you have so expertly dealt with our main witness?''

''Hey! Try to look at the bright side! I bet she would be less afraid of you now, so you can question her when she comes to. And in the meantime we can talk to the kids without her interrupting us''.

He turned to the now smaller group of children from various species that were looking at them with awareness. Probably the 'conversation' with the teacher had an impact on them too...

'' We want to ask you some question about Ben Skywalker'' he started. ''Can any of You tell us what he did today?''

Silence greeted his question.

''Some of You must be his friends'' he tried again. ''You must have talked to him and played with him today, right?''

The children whispered among each other. They heard also some stiffled giggles. Finally the kids pushed forward a boy about Ben's age, with dark, greasy hair falling into his eyes, and a frightened expression on his face.

Mara caught bits of the children's' whispering: ''...friend of that red-hair, clumsy...couldn't even ...canon-ball good...playing Jedi...deserve more beating...as usual saving the galaxy, hihi...'' and her eyes narrowed angrily.

'' Those little monsters have been mobbing Ben'' she hissed through clenched teeth. ''I'll show them...''

'' Cool down, Master Jade, they are only kids''

Mara took a breath and let it slowly out.  
''I know'' she admitted after a while, though her voice still held a dangerous undertone '' but I won't let them hurt my son. I knew from the start that we shouldn't have let him go to a public kindergarten''.

''I was pretty surprised that you did at all. Whose idea was it? Luke's? I mean Master Skywalker's?''

''No, Leia's. But Luke agreed of course! She wanted it to be a sign for the citizens that the government and the Order don't isolate themselves from the rest of the society. That we all are equal. And to show that public institutions on Coruscant are safe'' she spat the last word with venom.

'' I'd say that was hypocritical of her'' Kyp remarked. ''After all her own children were very well protected during their childhood, and never attended any kindergarten or school, with the exception of the Jedi Academy. And I wouldn't say that the galaxy, or Coruscant for that matter, has become a less dangerous place since then''.

''Surprisingly enough, I wholly agree with You on this point, Durron'' Mara said with a slight irony in her voice ''Impossible.'' She shook her head in disbelief. ''Anyway, I think we should talk to that kid. Could you begin please? I feel like I need some more relaxing exercises, before I can deal with those children without doing them harm.''

Kyp nodded and crouched in front of the dark-haired boy, so that their eyes were at the same level. The kid watched him suspiciously.

''Hey kid'' Kyp smiled encouragingly '' What's your name?''

The boy hesitated. He looked over his shoulder, as if to beg the other kids for support but didn't find any. When he turned back Kyp noticed that a wisp of his hair over the left shoulder had been done into a tiny braid. Finally he answered in a quiet voice:  
''Kith''

''Okay kid, I mean Kith. When did You see Ben Skywalker last?''

Kith looked Kyp over from head to toe, and shuddered. It looked as if he wanted to say something, but was afraid.

'' Don't be afraid Kith'' Kyp said reassuringly. ''If You want to talk with me in private'' other children were still watching them intently, and Kyp guessed it made the boy feel uneasy ''just tell me''.

There was no mistake- upon hearing this, the boy became even more scared.

''What's up kid?'' the Jedi master asked, worried.

''Are You...are You...'' he stammered, gulped, and gathered the courage ''Are You a... Sith Lord?''

''What?!'' a shocked Kyp exclaimed ,standing up.  
The boy jumped back at this sudden movement.

''Why... what makes you think so?'' Kyp managed.  
There were of course people who knew the face of the infamous Destroyer of Worlds, but this kid wasn't older than five. How could he possibly know about his, Kyp Durron's past, and recognize him? He got an irrational feeling that maybe he bore a brand on his forehead, marking him as a Sith for the eyes of the innocent.  
It felt as if he got his entire, not so brilliant, past thrown right in the face. He won't be able to wash himself completely from the dirt of the Dark Side, no matter what he have done since or will ever do.

'' You wear a black robe'' he heard the boy say from behind the mist that shrouded his mind ''The Sith wear such robes, I've seen it on the HoloTV''

''What?!'' Kyp repeated, shocked again, but for different reasons. ''You mean you've seen it on the movie?!'' The boy nodded. ''And that's all?!''

''Y..yes..'' He looked at Kyp defiantly, though he was still trembling. '' I think that's enough. I won't tell you anything.''

''Wait a moment! Do You really think that if I were a Sith I would talk to you like this, instead of, say, extracting all the knowledge I need directly from Your mind? Or threatening You?''

'' The Sith are treacherous. You may be pretending not to be a Sith''.

''Is that also the knowledge You've got from that holo movie?''

''Yes.''

Mumbling something about the bad influence the HoloTV had on children and youth, Kyp rolled his eyes:_ How, in the name of Darth Moor, am I supposed to gain this boy's trust? Wait... Darth Moor?_ he cursed inwardly, realizing he subconsciously referred to a bit of knowledge from his Sith training. _Emperor's Black Bones!...No, Sith! That wasn't any better! _He made a face, cursing the fact that every second curse in the galaxy involved the Sith.

''Durron?''

He winced. He almost forgot that Mara had been witness to the whole conversation. She must have thought he got what he deserved, especially after her remark about people still remembering Carida. _As if it was only Carida I blew up!... Though it's probably better not to remind everyone there were two other star systems I destroyed..._  
But when he looked at her face, he got surprised, since it expressed something almost akin to sympathy... _Impossible! Mara 'die Durron' Jade?!_ He had his shields up, but maybe she picked up some of his initial shock and pain when this kid accused him of being a Sith.

''Leave it for now'' Mara continued. ''I think I'm a more suitable person to deal with it''.

_Sympathy, indeed - false pity more likely_ he amended himself bitterly. _She has a satisfaction of showing me she has an upper hand, that's all..._

Meanwhile Mara turned to Kith and flashed a, in her opinion probably friendly, smile.

''You will tell **me** about Ben, won't You?''

The boy looked at her with the same attention he did before with Kyp. Then he said:  
''My dad told me never to trust women with red hair.''

''What?!''

''He said they were trickish and treacherous '' he added.

''But I am Ben's mother! And a Jedi! ''

Kith seemed to digest this information for a second or two.

''But You've come with him'' He pointed at Kyp ''And he's probably a Sith.''

''I had no other choice!'' she shouted ''I hate him!''

''Then you cannot be a Jedi!'' the horrible child stated triumphantly. '' A Jedi doesn't feel hatred! Ben has told me it'' he added with pride. ''I think You are a Sith too''.

Kyp couldn't help himself and chuckled maliciously.  
If the sight could kill, the glare Mara shot him would have burnt him on the spot.  
He laughed harder.

''What about the clothes?'' he asked Kith, still shaking with laughter. '' She doesn't have a black robe.''

The kid narrowed his eyes.  
''She may be in cover up'' he said cautiously .

Mara's face was now nearly as red as her hair. She turned vehemently on the heel and hurried towards the exit.

''It's enough!'' she growled '' We won't learn anything here! It's time to apply my plan.''

Kyp shrugged and followed her.

Suddenly he felt somebody pull on the edge of his Sith-looking Jedi robe. He looked down and saw a tiny girl of some humanoid race, with a pale face, big dark eyes and golden hair with cinnamon stripes.

''Yes, little one?'' he said wearily, as the girl took a step back the moment he put his eyes directly on her.

''I've seen Ben'' she whispered so quietly he could barely understand. ''A dark man came and took him''.

Kyp felt excitement at her first words, but as she continued, the cold fear crept up his spine.  
_A dark man?_ He remembered that night on Yavin IV when he first saw an ink-black phantom of Exar Kun. And the following nights when the ancient Lord initiated him in the Sith teachings.  
He managed to quail both feelings and knelt in front of the girl.

''Would you, please, tell me about it?'' he asked softly.

The girl nodded. ''I'll show you'' She looked at him with those big, black eyes, and added barely audibly: '' You are not a Sith''.

Kyp let out a breath, feeling an overwhelming relief.

''No, I'm not. Thank You'' he whispered.

xxx

"Durron! What takes you so long?!" Both Kyp and the girl winced at Mara's angry words. The other Jedi Master was already by the door.

"Wait Master Jade!" he replied. "We've found our witness!" He smiled at the girl encouragingly. " Don't worry. Mara is not that bad as she looks. At least not to other persons than me..."

The little girl's eyes widened, but before she could ask why, Mara joined them.  
Her excitement was evident, but to Kyp's surprise, she addressed the girl mildly.

"You've seen what happened to my son? Cause I am his mother, really" she assured.

"Yes. He reminds you...a little"

Mara smiled wryly.  
"Yeah, I know. He looks mostly like his father. Except the hair."

"That's why we called him Burning Ben once" the girl explained cheerfully. Mara tightened her mouth but didn't say anything, though Kyp could feel the surge of fury within her. "But since he's started to build those model starfighters we've been calling him Ben the Builder. I think he even likes it." she added after a quick glance at Mara's face.

Mara didn't seem convinced, but decided to drop the subject for the time being.

"So, can You show us the place You saw Ben and the dark man... eh...what's Your name actually?" Kyp asked.

The girl stirred uncomfortably.

"She won't tell you Durron, she's a Firrerreo" Mara drawled. " For them names are sacred, and they don't reveal them easily to strangers. I would think that a Jedi Master should know it."

Kyp tried not to blush, but in vain. He knew he wasn't all-knowing, but hated it when Mara Jade caught him on the slightest incompetence. He was more than sure she would tell Luke about it, suggesting him removing Kyp from the Council as the one not worthy being on it...

He suspected that if it was up to her to decide, the Council would consist of only three persons: her, Master Luke Skywalker, and Corran Horn.  
And if that ever happened, he was sure they would throw him out of the Order or at least send him on a mission to Hoth to survey ice-cream production - or something equally interesting.

If it was up to him to pick out three Council members, he would choose Master Skywalker of course (after all he was the most experienced master among them, founder of the Academy, galactic hero etc. etc.), himself (as a counterpart), and Cilghal - to prevent too much quarreling between him and Luke...

For the time being the Council was larger though, and in spite of the fact that he didn't have many supporters there, he was happy he was on it, and could express his opinions about the Jedi Order and it's role.

The little Firrerreo girl took him by the hand, and dragged him towards the exit. He came back to reality, and decided he would have plenty of time to think about the other things later.

xxx

It became colder outside. The playground was situated under a dome of transparisteel, so the gusts of wind that blew among the Coruscant skyscrapers didn't reach there, but the temperature was close to the natural one. Still - it was much warmer than before the Vong invasion, which was probably the only positive aspect of it. (For those who liked warmth of course.)

The sun was setting behind the skyline of the capital city, and long shadows fell across the square.  
Firrerreo girl pointed at the dark corner in the far end of the playground:

"Over there" she whispered. " We stood here, and played canon-ball, but Ben wasn't with us. I looked there, and saw him and a dark man in a robe."

"How did he look like?"

"He wore a dark robe. And was very tall."

"Taller than Kyp?"

The girl looked at the younger Jedi confused.  
"I...I don't know. He stood there.. and I stood here... But he was much, much taller than Ben."

Kyp sighed. That wasn't much of an information. It meant only that this 'dark man' was an adult.

"What about his face, eyes, hair?" Mara inquired.

"I don't know, he had a hood on. I'm sorry.." she apologized.

"It's not your fault. And you've already helped us a lot." Mara assured her. " Did you see what he did with Ben then?"

The girl shook her head apologetically "No" she whispered. " I ...just...turned back then... and played with the others. I almost forgot about it, but then you came and asked..."

Mara and Kyp exchanged worried looks.  
Apparently the dark man played mind tricks on the girl, and probably on the rest of the children too.

Suddenly Mara remembered her first conversation with the teacher, and how confused she was when she discovered Ben wasn't in the kindergarten. Maybe she didn't realize it, because somebody had erased the memory from her mind?

Immediately she thought about a certain person who knew how to do such things, but although she had a really bad opinion about Kyp Durron, she didn't suspect him of kidnapping Ben, and then pretending to not know anything, and even help her to look for him ...

"Let's go look at the place" she commanded.

There was already deep shadow over the very spot, which made both Mara and Kyp feel uncomfortable. Mara ignited her lightsaber, and in its pale blue light they searched the ground for any traces the kidnapper could have left. But there was only grass.

Mara closed her eyes, trying to feel Ben's emotions from earlier that day, concerning this place and the meeting with the dark man.

"Shavit!" she murmured after a while. " I don't feel him any better here than in the kindergarten as a whole. Do You? " she asked Kyp who was also concentrating.

"No" he gasped opening his eyes.

"But we should be able to feel some emotions!" Mara's voice grew desperate. " Force, he's got kidnapped from this place! He must have been scared! Shouldn't there be any trace of it in the Force?!"

"The Sith are able to conceal such emotions, as well as their presence in the Force" Kyp said quietly.

''Oh, and how do **Y****ou** know it?'' Mara asked ironically.

" Exar Kun told me."

"What a credible source of information!"

"Hey, we don't talk about Exar's credibility in general, and as far as the Dark Side of the Force is concerned, I'd say he was a credible source."

"Do I say he wasn't? Besides it was a rhetorical question. After all You were a Sith yourself."

"Jade!" he growled "You just had to say this, didn't you?"

"What? The truth hurts? " she started. Then she noticed the expression of fear and disbelief on the Firrerreo girl's face. _Sithspit! I didn't want to frighten her!_ "Listen, little one, he's no longer a Sith. He ceased to be long before you were born."

"I know" she answered, and to Mara's surprise reached up and to take Kyp's hand. Kyp himself seemed even more astonished. " He's good."

_Good? Not the most appropriate word to describe Kyp Durron. Or maybe... he isn't nice, but nice and good aren't the same. And he's definitely not evil. Annoying is the word. Troublemaker. A rogue Jedi - but still a Jedi, not a Sith.  
Stang! What the kriff am I doing?! Pondering if Kyp Durron is a good man?! _

"Whatever. If this kidnapper was a Sith or an another Dark Side user, we're in trouble. We must get Ben back, and do it quickly. Before he turns him to the Dark Side" Mara shivered, thinking about Luke and his father, Darth Vader.

"I agree, but first we must make sure it was really a Dark Side user. I mean: could this dark man be anyone else? Somebody Ben knew, and wouldn't be afraid of?"

"Not likely. Luke, Corran, and other masters are away. Same with Jacen. And Han, Talon, and other our friends don't wear Jedi robes."

"Is that everybody?"

"Yes. We don't have so many close friends that Ben is familiar with. Besides: why would they take him from the kindergarten without telling me?"

"You're right. It doesn't make sense. I guess I just wanted to find an explanation that didn't involve any Dark Jedi or Sith" he sighed. "Our next step?"

"Before I came to the Temple I alarmed the police, and security forces in the spaceports, so that the kidnapper shouldn't be able to leave the planet."

"But if he is a Sith or a dark Jedi..."

"I know, I'll comm them, and inform them that he's probably a Force user."

"It may be too late. It's been a couple of hours since Ben disappeared."

''Do you think I don't realize that?!'' Mara shouted, and Kyp could see how desperate she was, and how much it must have cost her to stay calm and think clearly. "We must hope they're still on Coruscant. That's why You'll take the fastest speeder You can find, and look for him. Search every inch of that planet if necessary. And now come here!" She grabbed his arm, and dragged him close to her. When she pulled his head so that their foreheads were touching, he winced, and tried to free himself, but Mara held him firmly.

"Don't move. Now, take what you need from my memories about Ben, and get quickly out of my head. And don't you dare touch anything else!" she warned.

"Poking around in your mind is the last thing I'm dreaming about." he assured her and shivered _It must be a terrible place. After all Master Skywalker hasn't changed so much without a reason after having bonded with her._ "Now, relax. Let your feelings and memories concerning Ben come to the surface."

"Relax. Relax!" she snarled. " It's easy for you to say! Last time you did this, You erased half of the Qwi Xux's memories!"

"Don't worry, I've learned a lot since."

"I hope it doesn't mean you'll erase **all** of my memories." she murmured nervously, wondering if that whole operation was a good idea... and if Luke couldn't start to use the same aftershave as Kyp Durron, since it definitely smelled better... _What the Sith am I thinking about?!..._ "Hurry up!"

Kyp was nervous too. After all it was Mara Jade! - standing closer to him than he would ever wished... It was definitely scary.

He cautiously directed Force tendrils to her mind. At first, he met a layer of mistrust, mixed with the anger and embarrassment at being so close to him, and some detached thoughts about his scent. (_I haven't well forgotten to use antiperspirant?_) Behind it lay Mara's memories about Ben, the pattern of his force signature, and her feelings for him...

He withdrew quickly, as they became too personal, and stepped back. Mara's eyes snapped open.

"You have it?"

"Yes. I do'' he said slowly, watching her.  
The short contact allowed him to get a glimpse at the side of Mara Jade he'd never seen before. He could hardly believe the emotions he sensed belonged to the same person he'd only known as a severe Jedi Master, hardened warrior, former Emperor's Hand, and personal opponent. Mara Jade as a delicate woman, and a loving mother? Of course, on a non-emotional level he knew that this side of her existed, only that she'd never shown it to him. _Maybe one day this will change..._

Mara watched him suspiciously, her eyes narrowed.  
"So stop glaring at me and get to work" she growled.

_...to the worse_ he finished his own thought dryly.

"What about You?" he asked aloud.

"Even if this 'dark man' is able to play tricks with memory, he cannot control everyone on Coruscant. There are too many people, and someone must have seen him and Ben."

"Unless he put him in some kind of a luggage-container ..."

"Stop it! And don't interrupt me! I'll go to the TV Republic. They have a program called 'Anybody seen? Anybody knows?', where people show holos of their missing family members, and ask for help to find them. It's been transmitted to all the planets of the Galactic Alliance, so even if the kidnapper left Coruscant, the entire galaxy would be looking for him!"

"I doubt if so many people watch this program" Kyp said cautiously "It's very late at night, after that series 'Knights of the Old Republic: Jedi vs. Sith' (_The main source of knowledge about the Sith and their attire nowadays_ he thought sarcastically.) "And I don't think it's a good idea that You appear on that program as Mara Jade Skywalker. I'm sure there will be a lot of rumors, and some people may even pretend they know something about Ben just to become famous and meet the wife of Luke Skywalker."

Mara made a face.  
"You may be right. I'll prepare some characterization and appear under a false name. Nobody will even know that the boy they are looking for is Ben Skywalker." She threw a quick glance at the entrance to the kindergarten building, which had just opened showing a very unsettled Mrs. Eezee '' We'd better go. Once again thank You for Your help" she said to the Firrerreo girl.

"And may the Force be with You." Kyp added, smiling at her mysteriously.

The girl opened her mouth when the meaning of the last sentence and the smile finally hit her, but the two Jedi were already gone.

xxx

Ben Skywalker was tired, extremely tired, and sleepy. His legs felt heavy like lead, while the stomach resembled a vacuum. He hadn't eaten for many hours now, so it sucked. And rumbled. He was so hungry now, that he got a headache and nausea.

He felt like crying.

He looked at the man clothed in the black robes, who was towering over him, and said pleadingly:

"I want to go home..."

-


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 **

"You treacherous piece of bantha crap!!"

Kyp nearly jumped ,and almost choked on his nerf steak when he saw a red-haired woman at the entrance door who shouted those words.

"Darling, please, it was nothing, I swear. Please believe me, please darling, put away this vibroblade..." an obviously scared young man adressed the woman, and Kyp relaxed a bit, realising this wasn't Mara. Actually she didn't even resemble Luke Skywalker's wife - except for the mane of golden red curls.

_Never trust a woman with red hair _Kyp thought, remembering Kith's words, and coughed trying to remove a bit of nerf from his throat _How very true._

Of course he knew he shouldn't have panicked the way he did on seeing someone with red hair, but he had a reason to be afraid:

He had been looking for Ben in a couple of hours, he searched everywhere, he even checked such unpleasant places as trash expedition corridors (though Force only knew what a Sith Lord should do with a four-year-old on a scrapheap), but all in vain.

He was frustrated since he couldn't sense any traces of the boy, and he was ... hungry.  
The last meal he had eaten was a light lunch between the lightsaber training with the students, and the Council meeting after which he volunteered to help Mara. And it was really long ago.

Finally he decided to take a little break and find a place to eat, although he knew Mara would be very, very _**displeased **_.(If she had found out ,of course.)

Kyp didn't socialize much, nor did he go out very often, but he knew a couple of nice places on Coruscant – or rather - he _knew_ a couple of nice places - before the war. Now, to his irritation, he discovered that none of them existed any longer, but he managed to find a small bar called 'Meat & Beat' which he found rather appealing, especially the rich smell of corellian nerf steak.

As far as Kyp remembered they didn't eat so fat at home, but since he became friends with Han Solo he got used to corellian cuisine. Besides - it was really difficult to make an inedible nerf steak (of course Mara Jade was capable of it, and not only - Kyp believed she was capable of cooking blue milk in such a way that it would come out green...) - in contrast to f.ex. fancy alderaanian or kuati dishes.

The Jedi Master read that the local had also life music (the 'beat' part), but he decided that a bit of beat wouldn't hurt.

So now he sat there, devouring his food, fidgeting and looking around nervously to check whether Mara Jade didn't find a way to see what he was doing, and lash out on him.

He rubbed his throat and looked accusatory at the red-haired _furia_ with the vibroblade.  
_Ooops _ She was still aiming it at the man and shouted, all while the other guests pretended not to notice anything.  
_Typical h_e sighed . _Apparently it's time for a Jedi intervention. The steak will have to wait..._

He threw a quick glance at the young man's plate, and felt a double amount of solidarity. Not only had he been attacked by a Mara Jade - type of woman, but also couldn't eat a nerf steak in peace. Yes - Kyp definitely had to do something.

When the vibroblade moved even closer to the man's face Kyp stood up, smoothed his Jedi robes, and said with his most official Jedi Master's voice:  
"Cool down, please. I think we can find a more peaceful solution..."

xxx

After about half an hour which was anything but peaceful, and after listening to their shouting and mutual accusations from which he learned basically everything about their relationship from the very beginning - that is from the kindergarten times (_Blasted kindergartens, Force save me from them!_), Kyp managed to eliminate the danger of the man being killed.

For a moment he felt satisfaction at his own actions as a peacemaker, but almost instantly he remembered about little Ben and the reason why he shouldn't sit there, and lost his good mood.

_Time to get back to work _ he thought tiredly.

He said farewells to the young man, whose pretty face he just saved, giving him one final advice:

"Remember, never trust women with red hair." (_Kith is a smart little boy after all _he decided)

The man nodded , but didn't look convinced. From the earlier argument the Jedi Master got the impression that he was truly in love with the red-haired woman.

_Poor, foolish kid _ Kyp thought. "_He'll end up under her shoe just like Master Skywalker – if she doesn't kill him before, that is _ he supplied.

His nerf steak had of course got cold by the time he returned to his table, and when the host of the local announced the group of comedians called 'The Jolly Kessel Miners' Kyp lost appetite completely.

'_TheJollyKesselMiners' ? What the Sith is that supposed to be?!_ he muttered irritatedly, gathering his possessions, and leaving the bar. He was chased by the first tunes of a song:

'Near the blackholes,  
on planet Kessel  
looking for spice in the mine  
lived a jolly Kessel miner  
every day he drank the wine...'

'_The __**Jolly**__KesselMiners'?!. Are they insane ??_

He jumped into the speeder and mingled with the streams of Coruscant night traffic.

xxx

He was neither concentrating on piloting, nor on finding Ben. He maneuvered the speeder instinctively, while his eyes lazily watched the play of lights in the huge metropoly, and his thoughts wandered freely.  
He was probably more tired than relaxed, nevertheless he opened himself to the Force... and suddenly... he felt him!!

Still quite away, but it was him, Ben Skywalker! Kyp was sure as hell about it, since he was looking for this particular Force-signature for half a day.  
He turned the speeder violently, earning a couple of curses from the other traffic participants, and gave extra power to the engine.

xxx

Ben was moving quickly, but Kyp was already on the trail and didn't intend to lose it. Slowly but surely he was closing up on him.  
The Jedi Master was so concentrated on his target (and occasionally on losing the traffic police...) that he didn't notice that they were coming to the familiar regions of the city-planet. When he finally got an eye-contact with the speeder he was chasing, it was moving towards the Jedi Temple. At the same time Ben's presence in the Force began to fade out .

_Jedi Temple? But why? Why is he taking him to the Temple? Is that because he's a Sith and Ben is the grandson of Darth Vader?? And what did he do to him?_

The other speeder was slowing down. Apparently it's pilot didn't notice that he had a tail. _Or he's so sure that he doesn't care._  
Kyp, on the other hand, speeded up to cut him off.

He pulled up before the entrance, jumped out of the vehicle making a salto, and landed just in front of the Temple door with an ignited lightsaber in hand, blocking it .

The shadowy figure in the black cloak and hood stopped. Ben Skywalker was thrown over his shoulder and the man held him with the left arm. The boy didn't move, and the Jedi Master supposed he was unconscious. The dark man reached for his lightsaber.  
Kyp threw his own cape off and took on a battle stance:

"You shall not pass."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Kyp!? For Force's sake! What are You doing ?!"

The Jedi Master stopped abruptly in the middle of a lightsaber slash. The voice was disturbingly familiar...  
He reached out with the Force to touch a presence hidden beneath the sithly hood and robes... It's emanation in the Force was surprisingly weak, but the presence itself was known. Indeed, **very well** known... _Oh no..._

"Are we home yet, daddy?" Little Ben asked sleepily, shifting his position in the man's arms, rubbed the eyes with the small fists, and yawned.

"Almost" Luke Skywalker answered softly, pushing back the hood. "You've woken him up Kyp" he added, looking at him with accusation. "What have you been up to, by the way? For a second I thought You were some Sith..."

"And **I **thought **You** were ..." Kyp mumbled, still deep in shock. Luke's eyebrows lifted questioningly, then his eyes narrowed a bit. "Everything okay? You can put away Your weapon then?"

"I-I'm sorry Master Skywalker " Kyp stammered, and first remembered to extinguish his lightsaber. "I guess... I mean, I've been concentrating only on Ben, so I didn't recognize it was You".

"That's possible" Luke said after having considered the statement briefly. " I've been actually training on that technique with diminishing your Force presence that Vergere had shown us."  
_**Today!**__ Off all days! Must be my kriffin 'luck'_ Kyp shook his head. "Anyway, it's good that You've got him back."

"Got back who?"

"Ben of course" Kyp lifted eyebrow in surprise .

Luke Skywalker seemed even more confused: "What do You mean?"

"What I mean? That he got kidnapped from the kindergarten, presumably by a Dark Side user - right? And Mara and I have been looking for him for half a day!"

As he talked, Luke looked more and more surprised.  
"You've been looking... Mara's been looking for Ben? Wait... kidnapped? From the kindergarten?!"

Kyp only nodded.

"But... Nobody was kidnapped. I mean, I took Ben earlier from the kindergarten, cause I won tickets to the Pakka Circus show in the Grand Skyhook, and wanted him to see it, but I left Mara a message at home. How could she not notice it?"

Kyp's face had a painful expression: "I don't know. Maybe she wasn't there since. After all You were supposed to be still in the Outer Rim."

"I came back a little bit earlier..."

"I've noticed " Kyp commented dryly. "Or rather, I **haven't** noticed, which was the problem. Anyway: just great! We've been looking for a kidnapped kid , who wasn't kidnapped at all, just because Your wife didn't read Your note!" He hit his forehead with the palm. "Wonderful!"..."Never trust women with red hair" he added quietly for his own use.

"What did You say?" Luke asked.

"Oh nothing, just a kind of proverb " Kyp explained bitterly. " A very accurate one by the way." Then he remembered something: "Couldn't You just comm her. What is that for an old fashioned custom with handwritten notes on the kitchen table?!"

"It wasn't handwritten, and I left it in the living room..."

The younger Jedi only rolled his eyes : "Spare me for the details, please."

"I mean" the Jedi Master continued "Uncle Owen used to leave such messages for Aunt Beru, and I'm trying to keep the tradition-" Another roll follewed " -And I guess that the skyhook was out of reach for a commlink anyway."

Kyp definitely wasn't impressed:"And what the hell have You been thinking by stealing Your own son away from the playground, without telling the teacher or anyone. And using some mind tricks on kids as far as I could judge?!"

"Please, don't curse when Ben's around. The teacher doesn't know me very well, and I was in a hurry to reach the show. I decided she wouldn't even notice Ben's absence since there were so many other children. And mind tricks, yes-" he cleared his throat " -One girl there, a Firrerreo, is Force sensitive. I had to avert her mind from Ben and me, otherwise she would have alarmed everyone."

"What a brilliant plan" the younger Master's voice dripped with sarcasm, though inside he was forced to admit that the whole story was as much funny as it was unnerving...

"Daddy" Ben's voice, accompanied by a stomach rumble interrupted their discussion "I'm hungry, can we eat soon, please?"

"I'm sorry, son" Luke looked at his son with concern and such love that Kyp's heart twitched. "Let's get in." He glanced at Durron and added: "Come with us, Kyp. I guess I have to ask You some more questions."

xxx

"So, tell me Kyp. Where is my wife?" The two masters were sitting by the kitchen table over steaming mugs with caf, and little Ben was literally devouring his cereals with blue milk from a big bowl with a little bantha cub painted on.

Kyp sighed. He told Master Skywalker about this afternoon's events briefly, but this was the question he was somehow afraid of. "She's at the TV Republic."

"For what?" Luke asked, surprised "I thought she definitely refused to take part in that 'Extreme change' program."

"She was going to have a plastic surgerey?!"-Kyp gasped in astonishment. "But she doesn't need it. I mean, I think she looks ok, I mean for her age and..."

"Kyp!"

Durron stopped abruptly in the middle of a sentence, and his face reddened. He didn't want Luke to think he was evaluating his wife's body. Cause he wasn't. And honestly, if he was to think about changing anything in Mara Jade Skywalker, it would be first and foremost her character.

"Kyp, it's not about plastic surgery. They invite people who managed to change their lifes completely. You know: like Mara who was an Emperor's Hand, and now she's a Jedi Master and a GFFA's hero."

"Oh..."

"Yes, but she said she didn't want to participate" master Skywalker continued. "Do You know why she'd changed her mind?"

"As far as I know, she didn't. She's going to appear in the program called 'Anybody seen? Anybody knows?' to ask for help to find Ben" Kyp explained. "Don't worry" he added, seeing terror on Luke's face "she's going to be in cover up, so that nobody can recognize her."

"I wouldn't be so sure. Her face is quite known. When does this program begin?"

Kyp checked the chrono: "In about 20 minutes. What do You want to do?"

"I'll try to comm her now, and prevent her from showing herself there. Meanwhile, could You please help Ben with getting ready for bed?"

"Sure. I have a lot of experience with kids."

xxx

Alone in the half-darkened room belonging to Ben (who himself was in the bathroom right now), Kyp tried to put an order to the day's events.  
The more he thought about it, the more ridiculous the whole situation seemed to him._What a set of coincidences! Seroiusly, what chances there were for Luke coming back earlier, winning circus tickets, and training on the hiding Force presence technique just today, and Mara not dropping in at home, and not reading his message the very same day!?_

Kyp shook his head. Now, when he put it that way, he couldn't help himself and started to giggle. _That __**is **__very funny. _After a while he sombered, and added: _But definitely not for master Skywalker, who will have to deal with Mara's wrath when she gets to know the whole story... Well... on the other hand: he should have known what he was doing when he married her..._

"Master Durron?" Ben's muffled voice coming from the refresher snapped Kyp out of his thoughts. The kid sounded somewhat troubled. For a brief moment Kyp felt the surge of panic at the thought that maybe he needeed assistance at the toilet, but then the refresher's door sled open, and Ben came out - with the pajamas buttoned awry, a trace of toothpaste on the chin, and anxiety written all over his small face.

"Master Durron, I cannot find Wickie" the boy addressed him with a pleading look.

"Who is Wickie?" Kyp inquired, coming to a kneeling position before Ben and buttoning his pajamas the right way . Then he gently wiped the toothpaste from his face.

"He's my teddy-ewok. I left him in the fresher in the morning, but i can't find him now."

"Let's go look once again" Kyp suggested.

For a couple of minutes they were both occupied with rummaging through the piles of towels, sponges etc., but Ben's toy wasn't anywhere to find. What they did find, though, were two night gowns - one of deep green, soft fabric, and one, the larger one, of a light blue frotte with puffy white clouds on.

_Ughh _ Kyp stiffled a giggle.

At last they had to give up.

"Well, Ben, I'm sure we'll find Wickie tomorrow" the Jedi master tried to reassure the boy.

"But I never sleep without Wickie" Ben announced sadly.

Kyp quickly catalogued in mind things he had with him: _A lightsaber, a blaster, reserve batteries, an ID-card, a handkerchief, a three months old, half-eaten ration bar, a commlink, two datacards, a pocket holocube, and an archaic corellian screwdriver he got from Han on Hapes (after he had used the lightsaber to remove the screws instead). Stang! Nothing that could serve as a replacement for an Ewok-toy..._

"Uhh, err..What about me holding Your hand while I'm telling You a goodnight story?" he offered finally.

The boy measured him for a second or two, obviously considering it.

"Mum says I shouldn't get in touch with You Master Durron" he said seriously. "She says You're courageous."

"Huh?!" _Mara said so?? __I don't believe..._

"Well,err...I **think** it was something like that..." Ben wavered. " Or maybe it was conagious ? I'm really not sure, it was a difficult word" he explained.

"I suppose '**contagious' **was the word" Kyp drawled dryly.

"What does it mean?"

"Never mind. So - what do we do? Shall I go and find Your daddy?"

"He's busy, isn't he? And he asked You to stay with me, so You can't be so dangerous after all, can You?" he asked with a bit of uncertainty in his voice. "I mean, if dad said so..."

_Hooray for father's authority!_ Kyp thought. "No, I'm perfectly harmless" he said aloud and smiled. _Maybe not always, but You don't need to know it yet _ he added for himself. "So - the bed awaits" he made an exaggerated gesture towards the bunk.  
Ben jumped into it giggling and placed his small fist in the Jedi master's large palm.

"Oookay, young man. Which story do you want to hear? 'Little lost bantha cub'? " he asked, remembering it was one of Jacen and Jaina's favourites when they were about Ben's age.

"Nooo 'ts boring'' Ben wrinkled his nose. " Thereepio keeps telling me it each time he comes, and I know it by heart already... or almost . Can You tell me something **scary**" his eyes shone with excitement.

"Scary, huh?!" _And the next thing I know would be Your mum's saber in my guts for frightening her baby _ "How scary?"

"**Very** scary. Like 'The Knights of Old Republic: Jedi vs. Sith'. It rocks! "

_There it goes. The kriffin series about the kriffin Sith again! What the Sith am I supposed to tell him?! 'Darth Agnan and the Three Mandalorians'?? It's not a fairytale ! - Which of the Sith tales __**are**__ fairytales anyway? Stang!_

"Master Durron??"

"Ehmm."(_Think Durron, think!_) Suddenly Kyp got an idea. Back on Deyer his father used to tell him this particular story to make him fall asleep...

"Some time ago" he began "on a planet far, far away, there was a huge ocean... Do you know what an ocean is?" he asked. After all Bent spent most of the time on Coruscant, where all natural water reservoirs lay underground.

The boy nodded:"I've seen an ocean on Corellia. On a holiday with uncle Han and aunt Leia"

The Jedi master acknowledged it with a smile and continued: "Yeah. Then You know how it looks like. And in that ocean lived fish. An awful lot of fish, big and small, but this story is about a particular group of small fish. They lived in shallow water near the shore, ate plants and were generally very well-behaved, peaceful creatures..."

"Master Durron" Ben interrupted him " are you sure that it's **really** a scary story ?" he asked doubtfully.

"Of course it is." Kyp flashed him a mischievous smile. "Be patient, little Jedi".  
Ben's face beamed at being called a Jedi, and he concentrated on listening.

"Not every creature in the ocean was perfect though. In the dark corner of our fish's bay, among the rocks dwelled a big bad and **hungry** crab." The Jedi master uttered the end of the sentence with a low, ominous voice. Ben stirred uncomfortably and squeezed his hand. _Good that I didn't tell him the story about Darth Agnan _Kyp decided. "The crab saw the fish, and decided that they would make an excellent dinner. He knew, however, that they could swim faster than him, so he decided to set a trap..." The Jedi master presented an evil grin, and from the Ben's expression and widened eyes he could tell he had boy's full attention now.

"First of all, he lurked near the fish's place to watch their habits. He observed that they used the tails to swim forward, and when they came to an obstacle they would turn and swim back. When he saw it, he knew what he was going to do. He found the smallest and youngest fish in the flock..."

"And ate her!" Ben whispered .

"No, of course not. He wanted to set a trap, remember? Besides do You really think that a single fish, a small one at that, would do? "

"Noo.. He was veery hungry."

"You see? So - he found the youngest fish, who has never seen a crab yet. He introduced himself as an another fish, and said there were plenty of delicious plants to eat among the rocks. He asked the little fish to tell it to the rest, so they could eat them, cause he wasn't able to eat everything alone. And he told her that she could tell them that it was her who found the plants, for that would gain her respect among the elder fish. Can you guess why he did it?"

"So that they wouldn't ask her how this 'fish' who told her that looked like!" Little Ben's eyes literally shone with excitement. "And...?"

"And the little fish did as the crab told her. The other fish in the flock believed her, and they swam to the rocks where the crab set his trap. "Kyp bowed closer to Ben, and continued in a low, menacing whisper: "They came to a narrow passage between the rocks, and swam into it. The little fish told that the plants they were looking for were at the other end of it. But when they came through they discovered that there was nothing there but another rock that blocked the way. " Ben stirred uncomfortably. Master Durron was bent so close over him... _like the rocks around the poor fish_... And he had a dangerous gleam in his eyes...It felt a little bit...claustrophobic...

"In the meantime" Kyp continued the story, seemingly unaware of Ben's stirring "the crab came to the passage from behind. He knew the fish didn't have enough place to turn, so he could eat them one by one from behind and they wouldn't even know what hit them." _Master Durron's smile is really scary . Maybe mum was right? _ Ben tried to move away from the Jedi Master hovering over him.  
_"Ooops. Seems like I'm putting to much heart into the story _ Kyp thought, noticing it. _But he's got his __**very scary**__ story, hasn't he? _he chuckled silently.

"But the crab didn't predict one thing...Or maybe he just hadn't observed the fish long enough to notice it. When the fish realized that there weren't any plants to eat, and that this was a dead end with no place to turn, and when the last one felt a bite at her tail - They used their belly fins to swim backwards! "

"Oh!"

"The crab got completely taken aback - and more - he got hit at the head with a fish tail, so in the end he just lay dumbfounded on the bottom, and saw the fish swim backwards past him, using their belly fins." Kyp threw a quick glance at Ben, who just a moment ago squeezed his hand. Now the boy was relaxed. _No end like happy end, huh?! Just wait, it's not the end yet _ he grinned inwardly, remembering why he as a kid eventually hated the fish-story. "You see - fish usually swim straight forward using their tails. When they come to an obstacle, they turn and swim another way. But sometimes, sometimes they just **have to **swim backwards, and then they use their belly fins. But of course most often they just swim forward using their tails..."

Ben glanced at him suspiciously. It wasn't going to be easy... " So they managed to escape, Master Durron?" he asked very matter-of-factly.

"Yeah" Kyp sighed, hiding his amusement. Fortunately Ben's eyes seemed more and more sleepy... _It won't be long anyway. No one stands to stay awaken long during this story..._  
"Yes, they escaped this time, but remember that the crab was still alive. And he was even more hungry and angry now. And he knew about the trick with belly fins and swimming backwards. He made a new plan." he suspended his voice...

"What plan, Master Durron?" Ben asked animatedly, quailing the yawn.

_Come on! Would You sleep already! Don't tell me this story is __**so **__interesting!- On the other hand-if the usual stuff You get is 'Little bantha cub' by Threepio... Then I can't blame You. _ "Well, he decided that he needed a cover up. He gathered some algs and other stuff, and hid himself under them, pretending to be just a part of the sea bottom, and waited near our fish's home to capture them when they come back. But they were out for a long, long time, so he waited, and waited... and waited-" Ben's eyes fluttered close "- and waited..."

"And?" the boys eyes snapped open "I want to know the end!"

_Stang! Why can't You just fall asleep?... _Kyp shook his head. "And waited some more..." He tried to fake a reassuring smile, but Ben squinted and looked at him with an 'You-won't-get-away-that-easy' expression. The Jedi Master sighed . "And finally the fish returned home. But then it occured that in the meantime the algs and other plants the crab covered himself with, grew around him so that he couldn't make a move!"

Ben giggled happily. "Cool! And what did he do next? Did he manage to free himself? Cause otherwise he would die of hunger! "

Kyp lifted sight to the ceiling: _Sweet Force, Help me...!_

xxx

After a couple of minutes - and the crab's vicious attempts at hunting the fish -all of which turned unsuccessfull, Ben finally fell asleep. Kyp stood up carefully, and gently disengaged his palm from the boy's grasp. Ben stirred, mumbled something unintelligible, and clutched the sheet.

_Please, don't wake up again _The Jedi Master begged silently. He looked around the room. On the upper shelf, between two pots with something green, sat a furry Ewok-toy.  
_Mara must have taken it from the bathroom _he made a guess. _Well, it's still good that I've found You _he said taking the toy from the shelf. _Care to help me with making Ben sleep, Wickie? _ he grinned as he placed the mascot on the boy's bed. Ben reached for it immediately and hugged it. A peaceful smile graced his face when he burrowed the nose in Wickie's fur.

Kyp stood for a while with an uncharacteristically soft expression, simply watching him. Then he turned the lights off to minimal power, and left.

xxx

He found Luke Skywalker pacing restlessly in front of the holo set. He realized that telling Ben the good-night story took quite a long time, and that the 'Anybody seen? Anybody knows?' program was about to start.

Right now, however, there was an angry lady on the screen, talking about her hair, which got damaged due to some kind of shampoo. Indeed, it's colour was something between filthy orange and brown. _Ughh..._

"You haven't contacted Mara, have You?" Kyp concentrated on Skywalker's nervous face.

"No. She turned the commlink off. They must be forbidden during the program and right before it." He sighed " I have bad feelings about this..."

"Somehow I have them too. Despite the fact that You know I'm not the one for having premonitions."

"Yeah, I know. What about Ben? Is he asleep?"

"Uhmm"(_**Seven**__ traps! Holy Sith! I should probably slice C3-PO into pieces next time around._) He glared at Luke and drawled: "By the way, You have a nice nightgown, Master."

Luke's face flushed bright red: " I've got it from Mara" he mumbled. "She said it matched my eyes..."

"Ah-ha" Kyp's grin became even more malicious. " I see...Especially those clouds..."

"Ugh, Stuff it Kyp!" Luke exclaimed with exasperation which made Kyp chuckle.

"So puffy and sweet..." he continued mercilessly.

Luke studied the geometrical pattern of the carpet, while his face slowly acquired the deep red shade of Tatooine sunset. Kyp couldn't hold on longer and burst out laughing.

Fortunately for Luke a speaker announced the beginning of 'Anybody seen?Anybody knows?' program, and both masters turned their attention towards the holo set.

The host of the program said a couple of introductory words, which supposedly were ment to be heart-wrenching, and the stream of different beings, whose relatives have been missing, paraded through the screen.  
There were no signs of Mara, though. It looked like the program was about to end, so Luke and Kyp exchanged surprised but also relieved, glances.

Then the host announced: " We have one more person here, who came to us literally in the last minute, and she would like to ask all of you for help." He took a deep and affeccionate breath, and went on:" Dear citizens of Coruscant! We can all understand how it is to lose a child, but try to imagine how it is to come from such a planet as Agamar, and lose it here, on Coruscant, the biggest metropoly of the Galaxy !" He made a dramatic pause.

"Well, an Agamarian" Luke visibly relaxed "Good. Apparently Mara came too late after all."

"I still have bad feelings, Master..." Kyp continued to watch the Holo set attentively.

"So, let's welcome our last guest today" the voice from the screen had a badly hidden pitying undertone "and let's symphatize with her." He made a gesture, and camera made a close-up on ... Mara Jade - in traditional outfit of an Agamarian housewife, incuding the pink apron and the strawhat. The worst of all, however, was brightly green hair, falling down from under the hat in two thick braids.

"Good evening, good people of Coruscant " she began, perfectly immitating the characteristic, slow Agamarian dialect, made famous by numerous comedians from the other planets. Her voice was slightly trembling, as if she was on the verge of crying, but the quick glance she sent the program host was as venomous as the colour of her hair, and could easily match the Green Grim Glare she usually treated Kyp Durron with. " My name is Ann Shirley, and I'm here to beg You for help to find my son..." Luke uttered a groan and hid the face in his hands.


	7. Epilogue

**Epilogue **

Kyp spent about a quarter outside the Skywalker's apartment, first laughing, then trying to stop.

He wanted also to give Master Skywalker some time to digest Mara's show. _Ann Shirley of Agamar...THIS was passable, but the hair colour... _Kyp chuckled again, remembering the program preceeding 'Anybody seen? Anybody knows?', and the lady complaining about her hair dye. He guessed the company producing it has just managed to gain a new and very ferocious enemy... _Poor guys. They don't know what it means to be on Mara Jade's black list..._

Eventually he decided it was high time to say his goodbyes to Master Skywalker and leave. After all, Mara would be returning home anytime now.

xxx

When he entered the living room, Luke wasn't watching the HoloTV anymore. Instead, he was pacing back and forth, fumbling with his fingers nervously.

"Kyp!" He exclaimed, relieved.

"Hi, Master." Durron smiled a weak, wry smile, and nodded toward the turned off HoloSet. ''What about the rest of the program?"

"Nothing special. Mara just asked for help, described Ben, and showed some pictures of him, but..."

"But You're still worried she will blame **You** for the whole mess when she comes back (_Not without the reason..._). Including the hair dye. I truly feel for You Master."

Luke's face wore a really frightened expression as he looked at the younger man.  
"Kyp..." he hesitated.

"Don't worry **so** much Master" Durron said reassuringly. ''She won't kill You, I think." Well, that didn't sound very much convincing. ''You know, if it were me, I would be a dead man, but with You it's a different case. After all You are a father to her son."

"Thanks." Luke said weakly.

"You're welcome." Kyp offered with a smile. "And for me it would be time to go. It's late already, and I have things to do tomorrow morning."

"Kyp wait!...Could You..ummm.., maybe You could stay a little bit longer?"

"Need someone to cover Your back when You face Your Other Half?" he teased.

"No, it's not that.."

"Yes ,it is. (_Otherwise You wouldn't ask_) Anyway, I don't think that having me here will help You. Rather the opposite. You know how Mara reacts to me.  
Oh, and better not mention to her that I've seen her new image at the HoloTV" he added, heading for the door. It was really time to make an exit: From the steadily decreasing distance, he could already feel Mara's presence. No doubt Luke Skywalker felt it too, thus his nervousness.  
"Goodnight Master. Contact me tomorrow if You're still able to." he said, sneaking out.

"Kyp!"

The younger Jedi Master sticked his head through the door: ''Tell her that Ben is asleep, and she shouldn't wake him up. Maybe it won't save Your neck, but it should at least save Your ears. And may the Force be with You." With that he disappeared.

xxx

He jumped into the speeder and took off. Hardly did he finished to mask his presence in the Force, when an aircar driven by Mara Jade Skywalker hissed by.  
_That was close _Kyp sighed with relief, as he maneuvered the speeder away from the Skywalkers' place, and from the building up turmoil in the Force he could feel from his Master.

xxx

Back at his quarter he heard his commlink beep.

"Durron" he said warily.

"Hey kid! Good I've caught You!" Han Solo's familiar voice came through. ''Do You have some free time this week? I could use some help with the 'Falcon', ya know."

"What's wrong with her this time?"

"Hey! What do You mean by 'this time'?" Han sounded offended. " Nothing has happened. It's just that Leia and I are going on a diplomatic mission soon, so she has to be in perfect state."

"Again?" Kyp wondered "I thougt Leia decided to quit with the politics ?"

"Yeah, basically" Han sighed heavily. " Trust me kid, I'm not happy with that either, but she is too good to refuse when some officials in need ask her."

"Who was it this time? Omas?"

"Nope. Not primarily at least. The question came from the authorities of Naboo."

"Naboo?" Kyp mused. "What do **they** want? As far as I remember they weren't invaded during the war, and generally used to keep low profile."

"Mhmm.That's true.Yet, the queen of theirs asked for Leia's assistance personally."

"Does she have red hair?"

"Who? The queen?" Han asked, surprised. "No idea. Why?"

"Never mind. I'll drop by tomorrow so we can look at the 'Falcon'."

"Excellent! I knew I could count on You. Just leave Your lightsaber at home this time" he added before breaking the connection off. Kyp could swear that Solo was smickering when he said the last sentence. He smiled as well. Han was irreverent, but he was his best friend anyway. Kyp decided that he was looking forward to working with him at his beloved ship. Even though he wasn't an expert mechanic, it should be fun.  
And maybe Jaina will be there too.

xxxxxxxxx

So that's it.

Originally I planned to write next parts, but somehow I lost the muse. Maybe (very big MAYBE) I'll come back to this story one day.

Anyway: I hope You've enjoyed. :)


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